10 Tips for Putting an End to Your Road Rage

Road rage is an epidemic on American roads, and actually increases the risks of accidents, assaults and other adverse events.

We’ve all experienced it from either side. We have either been that motorist, screaming and yelling at other drivers on the road, or we’ve been yelled at while driving by a motorist who was out of control of his emotions. Road rage is an epidemic on American roads, and actually increases the risks of accidents, assaults and other adverse events.

In California, road rage is probably much more common than in other states, because of the heavy traffic congestion problems we have here. There is limited space for an ever-increasing population of motorists, and that simply creates conditions that are ripe for poor behavior on the roads.

You can reduce your risk of behaving badly on the roads, and keep the environment safer for yourself and other motorists.

Make sure you get the recommended eight hours of sleep a night. Research indicates that lack of sleep can contribute to irritability while driving, contributing to road rage.

Practice calming and meditation techniques if you feel yourself getting annoyed and frustrated. Breathe deeply, or count to 10. Those age-old techniques for alleviating anger can work very well behind the wheel.

Don’t bring your frustrations from work into your car. Understand, that there’s a place and time for venting your frustrations, and your car isn’t one of those places. Put those tensions behind until you reach home or wherever it is you are going, before you can really begin to let off steam.

Some types of music can make you more aggressive. Listen to calming music that helps you relax.

Avoid making eye contact with a motorist who is threatening or abusing you.

Practice empathy. If the other driver is screaming at you or is in a bad mood, understand that there are possibly factors beyond the person’s control that is making them behave that way.

While driving, behave as you would like other people to behave towards you.